It was a day to remember for Vinaina Marama and her seven-year-old son Sakiusa Coci of Lodoni, Tailevu.

With the kind support of the LDS Charities, the young boy could not hold back his excitement after he was given a prosthetic leg implant to help him for the rest of his growing years.

“I could see the excitement on his face when they fitted the prosthetic leg on him. He turned to me smiling and asked, ‘Mum, will I take this home?”

“I never dreamed that his would happen to him. I thought my son would be on crutches for the rest of his life,” said Ms Marama.

Ms Marama said Sakiusa had his left leg amputated when he was just two months old after doctors could not find a cure to a lump that had grown on this leg.

Being a single mother to two children, Ms Marama admits it has not been an easy journey for her, but prayer and confidence in God is her motivation to get her through her hardships.

“It was a painful experience to see that my son was not able to do the things that normal kids would do because I would be right there helping him get from place to place,”

Ms Marama thanks Dr Dean Clark, a Podiatrist from the United States, and his wife, Joyce Clark, a registered nurse who have been key players through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in helping Sakiusa, doctors and nurses who have been working hand in hand on Sakiusa’s rehab programme.

“Now my son is able to do what other kids can do. I am forever grateful to everyone who has assisted us in helping Saki get use to the new prosthetic leg,” said Ms Marama.

Edited by Susana Tuilau

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